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Overview

This completed study evaluated the role of Aboriginal Health Workers in supporting pregnancy care in the non-primary setting and to define the best model of care for Aboriginal women at high risk of pregnancy complications.

The study was designed as a pre-intervention and post-intervention trial to assess the benefits of the introduction of Aboriginal Health Workers and to evaluate their role in supporting the pregnancy care for pregnant Aboriginal women who attend King Edward Memorial Hospital.

The project aimed to assess the benefits of pregnancy care supported by Aboriginal Health Workers and determine the best way for this introduction. This will be done by comparing standard tertiary care (before Aboriginal Health Workers are introduced at the hospital) to the care supported by Aboriginal Health Workers (after Aboriginal Health Workers are introduced at the hospital).

Aboriginal women who received antenatal care at King Edward Memorial Hospital were recruited either before or after the introduction of Aboriginal Health Workers into the hospital. The project leaders aimed to recruit approximately 220 women into each of the two groups. Women recruited into the study were followed until their babies are 4 months of age, comparisons will be made between the women who received standard hospital care and the women who received care with the assistance of the Aboriginal Health Workers.

The project team determined if improvements were achieved with regard to access and engagement with care, quality and satisfaction with care and clinical effectiveness. The knowledge and understanding gained in the study will be used to develop new and more effective strategies of engaging Aboriginal women in their antenatal care in a tertiary setting to further improve pregnancy outcomes and assist in effective transition and access to child health services.

The major sponsor for the project was the National Health and Medical Research Council.

Abstract adapted from Research and Infants Research Foundation 2012 Annual Report